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The Emirates Western Force missed an opportunity to continue their mid-season revival going down to the Waratahs by five points at Sydney Football Stadium.
The result was the West Australian’s first loss in three matches in the NSW capital but did show the evenness of these two sides after the Waratahs were easy winners in their last clash a month ago.
In what was a tense and gritty Australian derby it turned out to be a lucky break which gave the Waratahs a handy leg up while the Emirates Western Force were their own worst enemy as they failed to cross for a try despite a number of promising forward forays.
James O’Connor again had his homing beacon boots on, kicking all 15 points for the Emirates Western Force, by nailing five of his six attempts.
O’Connor’s radar had the visitors enjoying a three point advantage at half time and it kept the WA side in a winnable position throughout the majority of the second stanza as they hung on to a 15 – 13 score line with 10 minutes to go.
However a try in the 70th minute to Tahs hooker John Ulugia gave the home side the advantage and ultimately the win while Ryan Cross also scored to open the second half, his try though coming from almost comical circumstances.
The former Emirates Western Force centre was the beneficiary of a bizarre rebound that fell into his lap and left the try line wide open after Kurtley Beale’s penalty shot hit the post with such precision it picked Cross running into space.
“I thought first half and past half time we had done everything we had set out to do,” said Emirates Western Force Coach Richard Graham.
“Unfortunately though we gave away two soft tries, certainly the one off the goal post was poor by us.
“I thought we controlled field position pretty well but what we didn’t do was control possession well enough at the right end of the field and it has cost us,” Graham added.
Keen to test the line-out inexperience of Tahs hooker Ulugia, the West Australian’s peppered the touchline with kicks in the early exchanges but weren’t able to continue to execute that plan, especially late into the second half.
Try-scoring opportunities were very much at a premium, and it was the Emirates Western Force who was the closest to securing the first five-pointer of the night with the Waratahs needing last-ditch defensive interventions to foil both Nick Cummings and Sam Wykes.
With most of the action occurring at close quarters, penalties were inevitable and O’Connor managed to get the better of his goal-kicking counterpart Beale in the opening 40 minutes.
With both sides seemingly content to continue with their game plans at the start of the second-half, it looked as though either a flash of brilliance or a stroke of luck would be required to break the deadlock and it proved to be the latter as Cross scored from the rebounded penalty attempt to give the Tahs the lead for the first time.
While the crowd were eager for the game to open up, both sides maintained their intent to press and probe via the boot while O’Connor continued his hot goal-kicking streak, landing another two in quick succession to put the WA side back in front at 15-13.
Following a lengthy break as hooker Nathan Charles was stretchered off after copping a knee to the head midway through the half, the Waratahs found some momentum and managed to apply a prolonged period of pressure for the first time in the game and were rewarded with a second, and ultimately decisive, try.
Off the back of a repeatedly re-set scrum, in-form half-back Luke Burgess made the initial bust and despite the Emirates Western Force’s best defensive efforts Ulugia reached out to touch down, with Beale converting to take the home side out to a five-point lead.
With less than 10 minutes on the clock and needing to score a converted try to win, the visitors had little choice but to open up and throw caution to the wind. However, with their finals hopes very much in the balance, the Tahs dug in and slowed the game down at every opportunity to hold on until the final hooter.
There was some good news in the Emirates Western Force rooms after the game with Charles up and about after shaking off the effects of the heavy knock. He will undergo further assessment tomorrow.
The Emirates Western Force will now have to wait a fortnight before they can return to the field and atone for the loss when they tackle the Brumbies in Perth on May 21 following a bye next weekend.
“After a loss I don’t think it is a good time to have a bye,” said Graham.
“As a group the one thing you want to do is go back out there and play. Probably physically it comes at a good time for us but mentally I’m not sure if there ever is a good time,” Graham added.
2011 Super Rugby – Week 12
Waratahs 20 (Ryan Cross, John Ulugia tries; Kurtley Beale 2 conv, 2 pen)
Emirates Western Force 15 (James O’Connor 5 pen)
Saturday, 7 May 2011 at Sydney Football Stadium
Kick-off: 5.40pm (AWST)
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Aus)
By the clock
Min Detail Score
7 Kurtley Beale Missed PG 0 – 0
9 James O'Connor Penalty Goal 0 – 3
18 Kurtley Beale Penalty Goal 3 – 3
21 James O'Connor Penalty Goal 3 – 6
24 James O'Connor Missed PG 3 – 6
27 James O'Connor Penalty Goal 3 – 9
32 Kurtley Beale Penalty Goal 6 – 9
37 OFF: Matt Dunning / ON: Tim Fairbrother
38 Berrick Barnes Missed DG 6 – 9
40 Kurtley Beale Missed PG 6 – 9
Half time Waratahs 6 - 9 Emirates Western Force
44 Kurtley Beale Missed PG 6 – 9
44 Ryan Cross Try 11 – 9
45 Kurtley Beale Conversion 13 – 9
48 OFF: Matt Hodgson / ON: Ben McCalman
49 James O'Connor Penalty Goal 13 – 12
51 James O'Connor Penalty Goal 13 – 15
57 OFF: Brett Sheehan / ON: James Stannard
58 OFF: Nathan Charles / ON: Ben Whittaker
62 OFF: Nick Cummins / ON: Alfie Mafi
70 John Ulugia Try 18 – 15
70 OFF: Sam Wykes / ON: Tom Hockings
71 Kurtley Beale Conversion 20 – 15
72 OFF: Patrick Dellit / ON: Rory Sidey
Full time Waratahs 20 - 15 Emirates Western Force
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